Today's post comes from a writing colleague of mine, Suzanne Lieurance. She writes:

Several years ago I interviewed some writing instructors and writing coaches to ask them what their biggest tip was for aspiring authors.

The number one tip they gave was this: Be willing to learn. That means really listening to what your writing instructor or coach has to say about your work and what you should do to improve it. Don't waste your time or your instructor's by defending your writing or making excuses as to why you can't change something. Simply listen, take notes, and be open to the suggestions your instructor or coach is giving you.

I think that's good advice, but you'd be surprised at the number of people who pay for a writing course, or pay to work with a coach, then refuse to listen to what the instructor or coach has to say.

If you're working with a good coach or writing instructor, this person WANTS you to succeed! And he/she probably has a LOT more experience than you do at this point as to HOW to make that happen. So, be willing to listen and learn and you'll show much more improvement as a writer than if you spent time defending your work or making excuses for it.

Try it!

Suzanne Lieurance is a freelance writer, writing coach, and the author of over 2 dozen published books. She offers free subscriptions to The Morning Nudge (it's for writers and other creative types) at www.morningnudge.com.